Three pitchers the St. Louis Cardinals ought to actively pursue during the off-season
The St. Louis Cardinals are gearing up for an active off-season as they look to address several weaknesses in their roster and return to contention. The pitching staff, in particular, has been inconsistent, with some describing it as consistently bad.
The Cardinals' roster restructuring aims to address these weaknesses and make them a contending team again. The starting rotation requires improvement, as they lack a second top-tier hurler beyond Gray. The pursuit of top-tier starting pitchers is a key part of their off-season roster restructuring efforts.
Acquiring one or more top-tier starting pitchers, either through a trade or free agency, would be a significant boost for the Cardinals. Three potential starting pitchers that the Cardinals could target are [specific names, if mentioned in the text].
The bullpen is the most pressing need for the Cardinals, as they traded away their top relievers for prospects at the trade deadline. The Cardinals need to acquire a high-leverage closer, either through a trade or free agency. Potential closer options for the Cardinals this offseason include free agent targets like Devin Williams and trade options such as established or emerging closers or setup men, whom they could acquire through trades involving their minor league prospects.
In addition to improving their pitching staff, the Cardinals also need to find reliable setup men to build a bridge to the ninth inning. From the remaining bullpen members, pitchers like JoJo Romero could be considered for closer or high-leverage roles, at least as stopgaps while rebuilding.
The Cardinals' lineup lacks a true impact right-handed bat in the middle of the order. Acquiring a powerful right-handed hitter is a priority for the Cardinals to address their heavy left-handedness. The Cardinals could pursue a big-name free agent or trade one of their many left-handed bats for a right-handed bat.
The off-season is crucial for the Cardinals to address their issues in the starting rotation and set themselves up for a more successful future. The key challenges for the Cardinals will be identifying a closer who can succeed in the high-pressure role, whether by signing a recovering veteran like Devin Williams or pursuing promising pitchers via trade, while rebuilding a durable and effective bullpen corps for 2026 and beyond.
The Cardinals have an abundance of infield talent in the minors, which could make some current players expendable in a deal for a right-handed bat. With a well-planned off-season, the Cardinals aim to address their roster issues and return to contention in the upcoming season.
The Cardinals' off-season restructuring strategy involves addressing the inconsistent pitching staff and identifying a top-tier starting pitcher, such as [specific names, if mentioned in the text], to improve the starting rotation. Additionally, the team is seeking a reliable setup man, like JoJo Romero, to bridge the gap to the ninth inning, and a high-leverage closer, such as Devin Williams or other potential free agent or trade targets, to reinforce the bullpen. Furthermore, acquiring a powerful right-handed hitter, either through free agency or trade, remains a priority to balance the heavy left-handedness in the lineup.
